Chair



Sept. 6, 1949.. F. .J. LUKETA 2,481,133

CHAIR Filed 001;. 1, 1945 S Sheets-Sheet 1 42 I INVENT OR 3 6 FRANK J. LUKETA ATTORNEYS sew. 5, E949. F. J. LUKETA 2,481,133

CHAIR Filed Oct. 1 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR FRANK J. LUKETA ATTORNEYS Filed Oct. 1, 1945 ml IHHIHIHHH k p l l N m lllllllll 4 F. J. LUKETA CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FRANK J. LUKETA ATTORNEYS Sept. 6,

F. J. LUKETA CHAIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 1, 1945 INVENTOR FRANK J. LU KETA ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES QFFICE CHAIR Frank J. Luketa, Seattle, Wash. ppl ca n ct ber 1 wo sen N e- 151 551 9 Claims. 1 his v nt on la es o a u ge hainoi the general type shown in my copendingapplication Serial No. 583,245, filed March 17, 1945. Like the chair which is the subject matter of that application, the present chair comprises a fixed support including two connected side arms; a seat, and a back, both pivotally supported upon a com mon axis for tilting independently of one another; a head rest adjustably mounted upon the back; and a leg rest which is adjustable both inwardly and outwardly relative to the ,front edge of the seat, and upwardly and downwardly.

Difiering from the chair of the former application, the present invention involves a leg rest which is mounted upon the fixed frame for 'adjustment, rather than upon the tilting seat. This has the advantage of making the leg rest controls and the seat tilting controls wholly independent of one another, and simplifies such controls by eliminating interlocking arrangements for prevention of'dama ge.

While the present chair has the same general objects which characterize the chair of the former application, the present invention is specifically concerned with mechanically different arrangements for mounting the power means and the drive means whereby the seat and the back, or both, are tiltable, and in particular involves mechanically different ways of mounting and shifting the leg rest.

The present invention involves also mechanical differences in the mounting and control of the head rest.

The present invention involves a mechanical arrangement whereby the power means for tilting the seat may be amounted upon the seat itself, and may react from the same pivot axis which supports oscillatable or rotative means ,for transmitting motion between the power means and the seat or the back, or both. While in this respect the present invention somewhat resembles the arran ment of my ope dine appl cation Serial No. 615,432, filed September 10, 1945, the present invention involves certain mechanieal improvements over the application just mention d.

With the above and other objects mind, as will appear more fully as this specification progresses, my invention comprises the novel chair, and the novel parts and combinations thereof, and the novel arrangements of the several parts relative to one another, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in this specification, and as will be more particularly vdefined bytheclaims.

In the accompanying drawings my invention is shown embodied-in a typical form, and one which at present 'is preferred by me;

:Fisure l i it persg e iv iv ew o suc a hai w h rest sh wn xtendedi r 2 s a' a tial p a View w th variou p rt brok n away and ho n s ctio ge eral l ne, jexi ofv the common pi ota is, to illustrate interior construction.

i ure 3 i a it e e a on w th Pa s ow in section s bstantially a on th 'iin 3- o Fi ure 2 i ustrati pr a i the s t t n m sh m V Figure 4' is a similar part-elevational and part,- seetional iew, substantially along the line lle l of F g re i lu t atin P imar ly th back til ng an ead r st ope tin meeha ism nd howi g al a P rtio o h l e re op r tin m h ism- V Figure 5 a s ct n sub tan all alo the in 5-. illustrat n p im r y the e re t p ra in meet mism- F ure 6 is a sectional View substantially along the line 5+5 .Q Fi ure .3, illustrating a detail of the seat tilting mechanism, and Figure 7 is a bottom plan view, substantially from the viewpoint indicated by the line -7..1 of Figure .6.

Figure 8 is anwisometric sectional view along the main pivot axis, illustrating the relationship of several coaxial shafts at that location to each other and: to various parts of the operating mechanism;

Figure 9 is a transverse section, substantially along the line 3-4) of Figure 2, illustrating a detail of the leg rest operating mechanism.

Figure '10 is a rear View of the back, with a cover panel removed, illustrating the head rest operating mechanism.

Figure 11 is a detail section on the line IIH of Figure 10', of'part of the head rest operating mechanism.

The chair includes a seat I and a back 2 which are independently tiltable about a common axis a e nz t e t ds io he seat a d he b ttom of theb'ack, and' either of which may be ree d a a primary body-sup ort n member f e ha hese a e s pported 1 11. a xed rams whi h inductee th e nnec s e arm 3- A lee re t 4 i sutportedfo mo em nt .i newly an ou wa d y re v to th o w rd ed e oi t seat, a d or war and do nward m v me t w th espe t th reto- A h ad est 5 is mounte inen the pp edg o th c and may p oj ct upwa d y and iqrwanqly with iently to the occupant of the chair, but have not I been shown herein, since they are conventional in character, and their location is a matter of choice. deenergize the motors when movement has progressed as far as is safe or desirable, may be provided, but since their use, also, is normal and conventional they have been omitted for greater clarity of explanation. In this connection, it will be noted that interlocking safety arrangements between two circuits are not here necessary, since the operation of one circuit cannot require energization or deenergization of another circuit to avoid the possibility of damage.

The side arms 3 are preferably hollow, with an upright panel 3| upona base 30 constituting the fixed frame, and the whole, together with operating mechanism supported upon the panel 3|, enclosed within a removable casing 32. The two arms may be connected together, either by a connecting base or by cross bars, as may be preferred.

Connecting the panels 3| in the opposite side arms is a fixed hollow shaft 33, which constitutes the main pivot support for the seat and back (see Figure 8). It is supported preferably by keying it within bearing collars 34 secured to the inner face of each panel 3|, and the whole is held together by a tie bolt 35, which can be removed, whereupon by dismounting of the bearings 34 the entire pivot assembly may be dismounted for inspection, repair, oiling, and the like.

Surrounding the tubular fixed shaft 33, substantially from end to end of the latter, is a tubular rock shaft 20. This shaft 20 has arms 2| fixed upon its ends, and the outer ends of these arms 2| are connected across by a bar 22, whereby the torque involved in tilting the back is transmitted equally between opposite sides. Inwardly of the arms 2| are arms 23, loose upon the shaft 23, but pivoted thereon to form the immediate pivot support of the back 2, to which the arms 23 are secured. A worm quadrant 24, fast upon the shaft 20 within one of the side arms 3, is engaged by a worm pinion 25 driven from the motor 23 supported upon the panel 3|, and by means such as this the back may be tilted upwardly or downwardly by energization of the motor 26 in the proper direction.

The seat is likewise supported to tilt about the axis of the fixed shaft 33. Arms II are fixedly secured to the fixed shaft 33, the shaft 20 being slotted, as indicated at 2'! (see Figure 2), for the reception of a set bolt l2 which holds an arm I I fast to the shaft 33. The fixed arms thus secured, constitute the reaction members against which the torque of the unbalanced forward end of the seat reacts. To accomplish the tilting, power is transmitted from a motor l3, mounted upon the seat, to'a sleeve or tubular shaft |4 encircling the shaft 2|], and loose thereon, and thence back to a countershaft I5, by appropriate Likewise, limit switches or the like, to

chains l4 and I5 respectively. The countershaft 15 is parallel to but offset from the shaft l4, and is supported by the outer ends of the arms H, by means of yokes IE, or like means, Screw jacks ii are secured at H to the seat I, and a nut l8 threaded upon each jack screw i! is rotatable through bevel gears Hi from the countershaft |5. By rotating the motor |3 in one direction or the other the seat is raised or lowered through the screw jack means I1, l8, reacting from the fixed arms The leg rest 4 is supported for rocking at 40 1 upon the outer end of two arms 4|. The inner ends of these arms 4| are fixed upon a rock shaft 42, which is journaled in a bearing bracket or traveler 43 at one end (or 43 at the opposite side'of the chair), the two travelers being enclosed within the side arm casing 32, and being guided therein for forward and rearward movement. Secured upon the rock shaft 42, and embraced by the traveler 43, is a worm quadrant 44 (see Figures 5 and 9), with which is meshed a worm pinion 46 splined upon and slidable lengthwise of a shaft 41. This shaft 41 is journaled at 41 upon the panel 3|.

The traveler 43 constitutes a nut threaded upon a screw shaft 6, also journaled at 41', which is parallel to the splined shaft 41. The screw shaft 6 is duplicated at 6 at the opposite side of the chair, and the two shafts 6 and 6' are connected by a cross shaft 60 and bevel gears 6|, so that rotation of one such screw shaft, 6, by means of the motor 62 and sprocket chain 63, effects rotation of the other shaft 6 by the same amount. Such rotation feeds the two travelers 43 and 43 forwardly or backwardly, according to the direction of rotation of the motor 62.

Such rotation of the screw shafts 6 causes as well as guides movement of the traveler 43, and of the worm pinion 43 meshed with the worm quadrant 44. The movement of the pinion 46 is permitted by reason of its splined connection with the shaft 41 at the one side of the chair. In any forwardly or rearwardly adjusted position, .therefore, corresponding to. projected or retracted positions of the leg rest 4, rotation of the pinion 43 will effect upward or downwardthat is, elevational or tilting-adjustment of the arms 4| and the leg rest 4 carried thereby, yet the inherently irreversible nature of the worm and quadrant drive will hold the leg rest in any such adjustment. Such rotation of the pinion 45 is accomplished from the motor 45 mounted upon the panel 3| and connected to the shaft 41 by the sprocket chain 48 or similar drive means. It will be evident that the leg rest 4 may be adjusted in elevation almost without regard to its projected or retracted position, and likewise it may be retracted or projected regardless of its elevated position. Since the leg rest is not mounted upon the seat, tilting of the latter cannot effect contact between the leg rest and the floor, hence it is unnecessary to provide safety means in the seat motor circuit to deenergize the latter should the leg rest engage the floor.

The head rest 5 is somewhat similarly mounted and moved. It is pivoted at 50 upon arms 5|, which in turn are pivoted at 52 upon a traveler 53 which constitutes a nut receiving the threaded screw shaft 54 journaled in the back frame. A leaf 1 spring 55 between the upper ends of the arms 5| and the head rest proper serves to throw the latter upwardly and forwardly, and a similar rela on t9 guide 19 .15.51. time a br ke that as the arms 5! are gr eved upwardly, the tendency is to-throw the head-rest 5 primarily forwardly, rather than upwardly. Such moveme 9 the. h ad r s is ac omplished i em the met r: t ou h adr vaecnn n are by which the screw shaft 54 is rotated in one direction or the other.

It is believed that it will be evident how the seat I or the back 2 may be tilted, each independently of the other, by operation of the respective motors l3 and 26 in one direction or the other. Regardless of the position of the seat the leg rest 4 may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly, and may be tilted upwardly or downwardly to suit the convenience of the occupant. Likewise the head rest 5 may be projected more or less, and will automatically assume a for- Wardly or rearwardly adjusted position, in accordance with the desire of the occupant.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a chair, in combination with a fixed support, a transverse shaft guided in said support for traverse through a plurality of parallel positions, a leg rest supported from and generally parallel to said shaft, and traversable therewith, and means carried by said fixed support, operatively connected to said shaft in all positions of the latter, to oscillate said shaft for varying the elevation of the leg rest.

2. In a chair, in combination with a fixed support, a tranverse shaft, means mounted on said support and guiding said shaft for movement through a plurality of parallel positions, a leg rest supported from and generally parallel to said shaft, and traversable with the shaft for projection and retraction, a power source on the fixed support and an operative irreversible drive connection between said power source and said shaft for rotating the latter for elevation and depression of the leg rest, said irreversible connection including drive means engaged and traversable with the shaft, and a drive connection operatively interconnecting the power source and said drive means at all times, to energize the latter in all traversed positions of the shaft.

3. In a chair, in combination with a fixed support, a transverse shaft, arms thereon supporting a leg rest outwardly from said shaft, for movement with the latter, a worm gear upon said shaft and a worm pinion meshed therewith, means supporting and guiding said shaft and said pinion for conjoint traversing movement through a plurality of displaced positions, for projection and retraction of the leg rest, said supporting and guiding means including a shaft whereon said pinion is splined, and means carried by said fixed support for rotating said last-mentioned shaft, for elevation and depression of the leg rest in all traversed positions of the first-mentioned shaft.

4. In a chair, in combination with a fixed support, a transverse shaft, arms thereon supporting a leg rest outwardly from and for movement by and with said shaft, bearing brackets supporting the ends of said shaft, means, including a splined shaft journaled in said fixed support, guiding said brackets for traversing movement to shift said transverse shaft through a plurality of parallel positions, a worm gear upon the transverse shaft, a worm pinion meshed therewith, and splined upon said splined shaft, screws parallel to said 6 splined shaft and threaded in the respective bearin br cke s nd powe mean e l at w to rotate 'said'screws to shift the transverse shaft and the leg rest for projection or retraction, and to rotatesaidlsplinedflshaft-wfor elevation or depression of said leg rest inany shifted position-0f ,the bearing brackets.

,5. A chair comprising a floor-engaging frame,

a;,-s,eat til,tably supported in saidframe, aleg rest, l9 fm'eansi in ependent of the seat for supporting 'leg'rest, powe'r'means carried by saidftrame and'operatively connected to said leg rest supporting means to guide and move the same for in and out movement, and additional means carried by the frame for adjusting the leg rest for tilting movement with respect to said seat.

6. A chair comprising a primary body-supporting member, a frame whereon said member is tiltably mounted, a secondary body-supporting member adapted to be positioned cooperatively with relation to the swinging edge of said primary body-supporting member, means independent of the primary member for supporting said secondary member for adjustment of its location relative to said primary member, means carried by the frame to guide said supporting means for movement of the secondary member inwardly and outwardly, and additional means carried by the frame for adjusting the secondary member in the tilting sense, relative to the primary member, independently, in each instance, of its other position of adjustment.

'7. A chair comprising a supporting frame, a main body-supporting member carried by said frame, a secondary body-supporting member mounted upon said frame for projection and retraction relative to the main body-supporting member, and for pivotal adjustments in any position of projection or retraction thereof, and means mounted upon said supporting frame and operatively connected to said secondary bodysupporting member for projecting and retracting the latter and also for pivotally adjusting the same in any position of projection or retraction thereof.

8. A chair comprising a supporting frame, a main body-supporting member carried by said frame, a secondary body-supporting member mounted upon said frame for projection and retraction relative to the main body-supporting member, and for pivotal adjustments in an position of projection and retraction thereof, a first means mounted upon the supporting frame and operatively connected to said secondary bodysupporting member for projecting and retracting the latter, and a second means, separate from said first means, also mounted on the frame and operatively connected to said secondary body-supporting member for pivotally adjusting the latter in any position of projection or retraction thereof.

9. A chair comprising a main body-supporting portion and a secondary body-supporting portion mounted for projection and retraction relative to said main body-supporting portion and also for pivotal adjustments in any position of projection or retraction thereof, and means carried by said main body-supporting portion and operatively connected to said secondary body-supporting portion for projecting and retracting the latter and also for pivotally adjusting the same in any position of projection or retraction thereof.

FRANK J. LUKETA.

(References on following page) REFEiiE'NcEs cum; number 633,087 Johnson Sept. 12, 1899 Name Date Whitehead May 9, 1916 Lee Apr. 9, 1918 Opperman Oct. 18, 1938 VanDerveer Aug. 15, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain 1912 Great Britain Dec. 20, 1934 

